Front setting means for clocks



Aug. 19, 1952 E. BOURQUIN FRONT SETTING MEANS FOR CLOCKS Filed June 27, "1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN VEN TOR. 06.42 BOMQ U/N,

'0 w ATTORNEY.

Aug. 19, 1 E. BOURQUIN FRONT SETTING MEANS FOR CLOCKS 2 SHEETS SHEET 2 Filed June 27, 1947 N 19.. R 1 N am m m Wm 1.; e

PN 1 m m I/ 1 ww m om H .4 H B m 8 e x m A w w? 7- i M m m m m a 9 "O 5 4 9% m0 2 a I 2 Patented Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIQE FRONT SETTING MEANS FOR oLooKs Edgar Bourquin, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application Junc27, 1947, Serial No. 757,392

Claims. 1

My invention relates to electrically driven clocks and isparticularly directed to an arrangement and combination of elements whereby the minute and hour hands of the clock may be adjusted, the minute and hour hands and an alarmsetting hand may be selectively and individually adjusted, two separate alarms may be selectively and individually adjusted, a seconds indicator may be adjusted, or a seconds indicator and the minute and hour hands may be selectively adjusted, in each case from the dial face or front of the clock.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my parent, co-pending application Serial No. 610,445, filed August 13, 1945, issued as United States Letters Patent 2,562,293 on July 31, 1951,

:hich patent discloses but does not claim a front setting electric clock construction of the type herein described and claimed, and, in addition, discloses and claims frontally arranged alarm shut-01f means.

Electrically operated clocks ordinarily contain a case in which the motor and gearing are contained. In the event the clock is of the alarm or signaling type, it is usually provided with a setting hand which appears on the dial face with its center of rotation removed from the axis around which the minute and hour hands rotate. Means for presetting the alarm and means for adjusting the hour and minute hands, as well as means for rendering the signaling device either operative or inoperative, are generally located on the back of the clock case and extend rearwardly therefrom so that all'of the adjustments are made from the rear. No diiliculty is encountered in making such adjustments in the event the clock is of the so-called desk type where it is supported from a table, clock shelf, or the like, and ready access is had to the rear-of the clock case. How'- ever, there are many instances where it is desirable to have the clock positioned within a recess or fastened to a wall or panel so that the dial face is virtually flush with the surface of the wall or panel. In such instances, access to the rear of the case is virtually impossible.

The present invention permits electric clocks to be mounted within a panel, wall, or other supporting structure and all of the necessary adjustments may be readily made from'the front of the clock.

In a clock having two separate alarms the above argument is also true, since the adjusting and setting means in prior art'clocks would be at the back thereof, thus rendering it impossible to mount said clocks in a panel or wall mounting where the back thereof isin'accessible. The present invention permits electric clocks to be mounted within a panel, wall, or other supporting structure and each alarm selectively, individually adj usted from the front or dial face of the clock.

Prior art clocks provide no means for adjusting the seconds hand. Therefore, such clocks may be inaccurate within a plus or minus range of up to sixty seconds and it is highly desirable that means be provided for adjusting the seconds hand or other indicator to the correct time. The present invention permits such adjustment of a seconds indicator from the dial face or front of the clock which may be mounted within a panel, wall, or other supporting structure.

Furthermore, the present invention provides means whereby an adjustable seconds indicator may selectively engage the minute and hour hands of the clock for adjusting the same from the dial face or front of the clock.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present invention to disclose and provide an electric clock provided with means for setting the minute and hour hands from the face thereof.

A further object of the invention is to tiisclose and provide an electrically driven alarm clock, including an alarm-setting hand, both the alarm-setting hand and the time-indicating hands being capable of adjustment from the front of the clock.

It is a further object of this invention to disclose and provide an electrically driven alarm clock, including two alarm mechanisms and two alarm-setting hands, both of the alarm-setting hands being capable of selective, individual adjustment from the front of the clock.

It is a further object of this invention to disclose and provide an electric clock including a seconds indicator capable of adjustment from the front of the clock.

It is a further object of the present invention to disclose and provide an electric clock provided with a seconds indicator capable of adjustment from the front of the clock and also selectively arranged for adjustment of the minute and hour hands from the front of the clock.

Other and allied objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of exemplary constructions by means of which the desired objects may be attained and by a carefulstudy of the illustrations, specification and appended claims. To facilitate understanding, reference will be had to the following drawings of various illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a clock constructed in accordance with the present invention set into or mounted upon a panel or wall. (This figure is identical to Fig. l of the before-mentioned parent application Serial No. 610,445, filed August 13, 1945, noW Patent No. 2,562,293.)

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the clock with the motor, clock works, and dial face removed. (This figure is identical to Fig. 2 of the before-mentioned parent application.)

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the plane IIIIII of Fig. 1. (This figure is identical to Fig. 3 of the before-mentioned parent application.)

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along plane IVIV of Fig. 1. (This figure is identical to Fig. 4 of the before-mentioned parent application.)

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, horizontal section of a second illustrative form of the invention, partially broken away and with certain portions removed for clarity.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, horizontal section of a third illustrative form of the invention, partially broken away and with certain portions removed for clarity.

Fig. '7 is a vertical section of one illustrative form of manually adjustable front setting means.

Fig. 8 is a partial vertical section of a modified illustrative form of manually adjustable front setting means.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of an illustrative form of front seconds setting means.

The clock shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive is of rectangular shape and comprises a case inserted into a recess formed in the wall or panel 2. Any suitable means may be used in positioning and holding the clock within the panel. The case I may be imperforate except for a port 3 through which the normal, electrical conductor 4 is passed for the purpose of supplying the clock with power. The clock includes the dial face 5 carrying suitably arranged indices to indicate the hours, the minute hand being indicated at 6 and the hour hand indicated at 1. Circularly arranged around the central axis of rotation of the minute and hour hands is a series of indices for indicating the time for which the alarm is preset and a setting hand 8, rotatable about the main axis of the minute and hour hands, cooperates with these additional, circularly arranged indices. The clock face may also be provided with a cover or crystal 9 held against the dial and attached to the case as by means of a bezel l0.

Positioned within the clock case is a magnetic core having a field coil |2 wound around one portion thereof, the ends of the field coil being connected to the electrical leads leading from a source of power. The magnetic core forms a gap |3 adapted to receive the rotor of a suitable electric motor whose housing is indicated at l4. Details of the motor need not be shown, since they are well known in the art. Such motor ordinarily includes a driving pinion l5 extending therefrom, the pinion cooperating with suitable clock works for actuating the minute and hour hands.

In the drawing, the clock works are shown contained and carried by a front plate and a rear plate l1, the two plates being maintained in suitable, spaced relation by means of spacers, one v 4 vibratable armature or striker is positioned within the case, one end of the striker being attached to the case as at 2|. When such striker 20 is released, it will vibrate either against the core II or against a suitable bell or sounding element (not shown).

An axially movable shaft or pin 24 is journaled in the rear plate H of the clock works and is provided with an alarm setting gear 25 mounted upon the end of the shaft 24. The shaft or pin 24 is surrounded by a sleeve 26 carrying the minute hand 6. Rotatably mounted upon the sleeve 26 is an hour sleeve 21 carrying the hour hand 1. Rotatably surrounding the hour sleeve 21 is an alarm-setting sleeve 28 carrying the setting hand 8. The setting sleeve 28 is journaled in the front plate N5 of the clock works.

The minute hand of the clock is driven in the following manner. The pinion |5 drives a gear and pinion assembly 30 journaled upon the stem 24. The pinion portion of such assembly is in driving engagement with a gear 3| (see Fig. 4) associated with a pinion 32 journaled upon a stub shaft 33. The pinion 32 is in operative engagement with a gear 34. The last-mentioned gear 34, as well as its associated pinion 35, is carried by the minute-hand sleeve 25.

The hour hand 1 and its associated sleeve 21 are driven as follows. The pinion 35 (carried by the minute sleeve 26) drives gear 36 and its associated pinion 31, the pinion being in engagement with the gear 38 which is carried, together with its pinion 39, upon the hour sleeve 21.

The forward or front end of shaft 24 carries a collar 40 provided with an actuating knob, the collar and knob extending through a suitable port in the cover glass 9. It will be evident that rotation of the collar and knob will be translated by gear 25 to rotation of the gear 4| mounted upon the stub shaft 42, this shaft carryme: a gear 43 which is in engagement with a gear 44 mounted upon the setting sleeve 28 carrying the setting index arm 3. Concurrently with the movement of setting hand 8, movement is imparted to a signal setting gear 45 journaled upon stub shaft 46 (Fig. 3) inasmuch as gear 45 is in engagement with the gear 44. The signal setting gear 45 is provided with an opening, slot or port 41 adapted to receive a, signal pin carried by gear 48, this gear being driven by pinion 39 attached to the hour sleeve 21. The gear 48 is slidable upon the stub shaft 46 and yieldably urged against the signal setting gear 45 by means of a spring-actuated member 49, whose other end, not shown, carries a member extending beneath the striker arm 20 normally preventing such striker arm from vibrating. In the event the signal pin enters the slot or opening 41, such member releases the striker 20. Details of this member are not shown, since they are well known in the art.

It will be noted that normally the shaft 24 is yieldably urged toward the front of the device by means of a spring 52 carried by the rear plate H of the clock works so that the gear 25 is in constant engagement with gear 4|. If it is desired to change the setting of the minute and hour hands of the clock without changing the setting of the alarm indicator 8, the shaft 24 is moved axially toward the rear of the case by pressing upon the collar and knob 40, thereby moving the gear 25 out of engagement with the gear 4|. Clutch means are provided between the end of minute-hand sleeve 26 and the collar 45, opposing ends of the sleeve and collar being serrated or toothed. It will be evidentthat when axial movement is imparted to the shaft 24 by pressing upon the collar and knob 40, driving engagement is made between the collar 40 and the minute-hand sleeve 26 so that rotation of the collar 40 will cause rotation of the minute hand 6. Manual rotation of the sleeve 26 will, by means of the gearing hereinbefore described, cause a corresponding rotation of the hour-hand sleeve 21. When the axially directed pressure is released, the spring 52 returns the shaft 24 to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3.

From the description given hereinabove, it will be evident that front setting means have been provided for adjusting the time-indicating hands and selectively positioning the alarm-setting hand 8. Means have also been provided to render the alarm or striker 20 either operative or inoperative, that is to inhibit the alarm or shut it off, or to place it in a condition where it will become energized at a time indicated by the setting hand 8. Such means comprise a lever 55 pivotally connected as at 56 to a bracket 51 extending from the rear plate I! of the clock works. The lever 55 carries a latch 58 capable of being moved into engagement with the striker 20 so as to prevent its vibration. In Fig. 4, the latch 53 is in a disengaged position with respect to the striker 20.

Rods 50 and GI extend through the front and rear plates of the clock works and through the dial 5 so as to be accessible from the front of the clock. The front end of rod 60 may carry a push plate 60' marked On, whereas the front end of rod BI may carry a push plate GI marked Off. The ends of lever 55 may be provided with horizontally extending extensions 55' and 55" terminating in upwardly extending pins capable of engaging slots formed in the inner arms of rods 60 and BI. It will be evident that manual movement of the rods pivots the lever 55 so as to cause the latch 58 to selectively engage and disengage the striker arm 20. In order to shut off the alarm, it is necessary only to push the protruding end 6| of the rod BI.

As a result, all of the desired settings and adjustments may be accomplished from the front of the clock without the necessity of removing the clock from its position in the wall or panel 2 and without touching the rear of the case.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a second illustrative form of the invention, partially broken away with the driving motor and certain gearing driven thereby, and the springactuated member which controls the striker arm of the alarm, similar to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, removed for clarity. The general construction is quite similar to that shown in the first form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 through 4 inclusive, with certain modifications. Referring to said Fig. 5, an axially movable shaft I is journaled in the front plate IOI and the back plate I02 in a manner similar to that hereinabove described. A minute-hand sleeve I03 15 iournaled on the shaft I00. An hour-hand sleeve I04 "is journaled on sleeve I03. The outer end of the minute-hand sleeve I03 carries a minute hand I05 and the outer end of the hour-hand sleeve I04 carries an hour-hand I05, said hour and minute hands being positioned in front of a dial face I23 which may carry suitable time-indicating indices.

The outer end of the shaft I00 carries frontally extending means, in this case a manual adjusting knob I01 which is adapted to assume either of two positions, the one shown in solid lines being the normal position thereof and the one shown in dashed lines being axially shifted position thereof when the knob I01 is manually grasped and pulled so as to longitudinally, axially shift said knob I01 and shaft 'l00into shifted position. The purpose of this shifting operation will be disclosed hereinafter.

It should be noted that while, in the example shown, the clock crystal is centrally perforated at I09 and the knob I01 extends therethrough so as to be manually accessible externally of said crystal I08, this construction is purely optional and the knob I01 may be positioned within the crystal or cover I08 and access thereto provided, by hingedly connecting the crystal at one side thereof for opening same, or by any other suitable means.

Fixed to the minute-hand sleeve I03 adjacent the rearward end thereof is a gear H0 and a pinion III, these being adapted to form part of the reduction gearing drive which is operably connected to suitable driving means, not shown, and function in a manner similar to gear 34 and pinion 35 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the first form of this invention. This is not illustrated fully since it is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and is well known in the art. Immediately forward of the gear H0 and pinion III, a gear H2 and a pinion II3 are affixed to the rearward end of the hour-hand sleeve I04 and also form part of the reduction gearing drive adapted to cooperate with suitable driving means, not shown, and function in a manner similar to gear 38 and pinion 39 shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This is not shown fully since it is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 and is also known in the art.

The inner end of the minute-hand sleeve I03 is provided with circularly arranged clutch teeth H4 on the end thereof. A pinion II5, fixed to the shaft I00 slightly spaced from and adjacent the teeth II 4, is provided with a second set of clutch teeth H6 facing the clutch teeth H4 and adapted to cooperate therewith upon axial shifting of the shaft I00 in response to manual gripping of the knob I0! and pulling same to the position shown in dashed lines. This effectively engages teeth H6 and H4, thus operatively engaging the knob I 01 with minute-hand sleeve I03 carrying minute hand I05, whereby rotation of said knob will impart rotation to minute hand I05 and through the gearing transmit rotation to the hour-hand sleeve I04 and hour-hand I06, for adjusting and setting said minute and hourhands while the knob I01 and shaft I00 are in said axially shifted position.

A bracket 99 may be affixed to the rear plate I02 and arranged to maintain the minute-hand sleeve in a forward position so that the clutch teeth I I4 normally will be out of contact with the clutch teeth H6.

Normally, the knob I01 carried by the shaft I00 and the pinion I I5 fixed to said shaft are held in the position shown in Fig. 5 by a biasing spring III. In this position the pinion H5 is in engagement with an alarm-setting gear I I 8 fixed upon a stub shaft I I9, which is rotatably mounted in the front and rear plates IM and I02 off-set from the centrally disposed shaft I00. Suitable friction means, indicated at I20, fixed upon'the stub shaft H9, is in spring-pressed, frictional engagement with the inner side of the rear plate I02 by reason of the action of a lateral spring I2I carried by the rear end of the stub shaft H9 and pressing forwardly. against the rear surface of plate I02, tending to force the friction means I20 against the front side of plate I02 into frictional contact therewith, thus causing the alarmsetting gear H8 to maintain whatever position itisset to. In said normal position, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, rotation of the knob I01 will cause a rotation of the alarm-setting gear H8 and also a corresponding rotation of the alarm-setting or indicating hand I22 carried by the forward end of said stub shaft H9 in front of the dial face I23, which may be provided with suitable indicating indices arranged around the axis of the stub shaft H9 on the dial face I23.

Slidably rotatably mounted on the stub shaft H9 forward of the alarm-setting gear H8 is element I24 which has provided thereon a pin I25 normally in spring-pressed contact with the front side of gear H8 and adapted to fall into and engage a hole I20 in gear H8 when in alignment therewith, under the backward spring-biasin action of a spring I21 positioned between the front plate IN and a driven gear I28 fixed to the forward end of the element I24. The gear I28 is in engagement with the pinion H3 on the hour-hand sleeve I04 and is driven thereby, which rotates the pin I25 until it is in alignment with the hole I26 in the alarm-setting gear I I8, which then allows the entire element I24 and gear I28 to axially slide backward onthe stub shaft H9 until the projection I25 is within the hole I26 in the alarm-setting gear H8. This takes place at the time indicated by the alarm-setting hand I22, as adjusted in a manner hereinbefore described by the knob I01.

An alarm striker detent adapted to suppress action of an alarm striker at times other than when the projection I25 is within the hole I26, and similar to that shown at 49 in the first form of my invention (Fig. 3) may engage the face of the axially movable gear I28 for releasing the alarm striker when the pin I25 falls into the corresponding hole I26 in the alarm-setting gear H8 in a manner similar to that described and illustrated in the first form of my invention. This alarm striker detent, alarm striker, and alarm are not shown, since they are illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, horizontal section of a third illustrative form of the invention, partially broken away and with the driving motor,

portions of the associated gearing, and the alarms removed for clarity, and is a slightly modified form of the construction shown in Fig. 5. The parts corresponding to those shown in Fig. 5 are given corresponding primed reference numerals. New elements are given new reference numerals.

The construction shown in Fig. 6 is the same as that shown in Fig. 5 with the following exceptions. The rear end of the minute-hand sleeve I03 has no clutch teeth thereon such as the clutch teeth H4 shown in Fig. 5. The forward end of the pinion H5 similarly has no clutch teeth thereon such as the clutch teeth I I6 shown in Fig. 5. Therefore, axial movement of the shaft I from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dashed lines does not cause engagement of the pinion H and the minutehand sleeve I03, as in the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 5. However, a second offset stub shaft I29 is rotatably mounted in the front and back plates I0! and I02. This stub shaft I28 extends through the rear plate I02 and has a laterally arranged spring I30 pressing against the rear surface of the rear plate I02 so as to bias the stub shaft I29 in a rearward direction.

Fixed to the stub shaft I29 immediately forward of the rear plate I02 is ,a friction element I3I and an alarm-setting gear I32. It should be noted that the lateral spring I30 normally causes the friction element I3I to frictionally engage the forward face of the rear plate I02. The stub shaft I29 also slidably and rotatably carries an element I33 provided witha projection I34 thereon normally in spring-pressed engagement with the front face of the gear I32 and adapted to fall into and engage a hole I35 therein when in alignment therewith. The forward end of the element I24 has affixed thereto a gear I36 which engages the pinion H3 fixed to the hour-hand sleeve I04 for driving said gear I36 and the element I24 connected thereto. A coil compres sion spring I38 is positioned between the forward face of the gear I36 and the rear face of the forward plate IOI for normally biasing the. gear I36 and element I33 rearwardly. The forward end of the stub shaft I29 extends through the front plate IOI and the dial face I23 and carries an alarm-indicating and setting hand I31 which cooperates with suitable alarm-setting indices arranged on the dial face I23 around the axis of the stub shaft I23.

It will be noted that the structure described in the paragraph immediately above is a duplicate of the stub shaft H9, element I24, projection I25, alarm-setting gear H8, lateral spring I2I, driven gear I28, compression spring I21 and alarm-setting or indicating hand I22. In other words, two separate alarm-setting and alarm set-off arrangements are disclosed in Fig. 6. It should be noted that the alarm-setting gear I32 is in a plane just forward of the engaging plane of the pinion H5 when in the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 6 when said pinion H5 is in engagement with the other alarmsetting gear H8 for setting the other alarm on the opposite side of the shaft I00. When the knob I01 is manually grasped and pulled into the position shown in dashed lines, longitudinally axially moving the shaft I00, the pinion H5 moves out of engagement with the first alarmsetting gear H8 and into engagement with the second alarm-setting gear I32, whereby rotation of the knob I01 in said axially shifted position will rotate said alarm-setting gear I32 and the alarm-setting or indicating hand- I31 to a selected position. The pinion H3 driven by the hour-hand sleeve I04 drives the gear I36 and the element I33 attached thereto, rotating the projection I 34 until it is in alignment with the hole I35 in the alarm-setting gear I32, whereupon said projection I34 falls into and engages said hole I35, axially moving the .element I33 and the gear I36 along the stub shaft I29 under the action of the coil compression spring I38.

An alarm striker detent similar to that shown at 49 in Fig. 3 illustrating the first form of my invention, and arranged to normally restrain an alarm striker from actuating an alarm may be placed in contact with the gear I30 and arranged to release the alarm striker for allowing actuation of the alarm when the projection I34 becomes aligned with the hole I35 and'falls into and engages said hole, thus allowing. the element I33 and the gear I36 to axially slide rearwardly on the shaft I29 under the force exerted by biasing coil compression spring. I38. This alarm striker detent element, alarm. striker, and alarm are not shown herein, since they are illustrated in the first form of my invention in Figs. 3 and 4. 4

It is to be noted that two separate, individual, alarm striker detents, striker arms and alarms are utilized in the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 6, either of said alarms being selectively presettable from the front or dial face of the clock by rotation of the knob I01 in either of the axial positions it may assume. (In Fig. 6 one of said positions is shown in solid lines and the other of said positions is shown in dashed lines.) Means may also be provided for adjusting the minute and hour hands.

Fig. '1 is a vertical section of one illustrative form of manually adjustable, front setting means, with the balance of the clock broken away. In such figure, the centrally disposed shaft I39, which, in the example illustrated, may be a driven seconds-indicating shaft, has concentrically journaled thereon a minute-hand sleeve I40 and an hour-hand sleeve MI. The seconds shaft I39 may be an extension of a motor outputshaft revolving at one revolution per minute. The shaft I39 may carry a pinion engaged with a gear carried by a countershaft extending parallel tothe seconds shaft. Suitable gear means may be carried by the countershaft for engagement with cooperative pinions carried by the minutehand and hour-hand sleeves. A hub I42 is fixed on the left hand, outer end of the hour-hand sleeve I M and is provided with an hour-hand I43 thereon. A hub I44 is fixed to the lefthand, outer end of the minute-hand sleeve I49 and is provided with a minute hand thereon. The shaft I39 extends forwardly beyond the hour and minute hands I43 and I45 and is provided with an end hole I46 therein and annular groove I 41 immediately behind the end hole 546.

A frontally extending means; in this case a seconds-indicating knob I48, is provided with a centrally apertured hub I49 therein adapted to slide over the outer end of the shaft I39 with a coil compression spring I59 positioned in the end hole I46 in the shaft I39 and abutting the inner surface of the knob I48. The hub I49 is provided with a fiat spring II along one surface thereof and with a recess I52 under said spring I5I adjacent the end of the hub I49. A ball bearing I53 may be positioned in the recess I52 and spring-biased by spring I5I into contact with the annular groove I41 in the shaft I39. The coil compression spring I50 causes the ball bearing I53 to also be forced against the forward shoulder forming the annular roove I41 in theshaft I39. Thus, the spring I5I, ball bearing I53, groove I41, and spring I59 cooperate to maintain the frontally extending means I48 in rotatable, axially movable, springbiased, frictional relationship on the outer end of the shaft I39. The rear end of the hub I49 is provided with clutch teeth I54 arranged to cooperate with similar clutch teeth I55 which may be on the forward end of the minute-hand hub I44 or the forward end of the minute-hand sleeve I49. Both of the series of clutch teeth I54 and I55 are circularly arranged concentrically around the shaft I39 and may be any type of clutch or gear teeth well known in the art.

It should be noted that the righthand end or" the shaft I39, minute-hand sleeve I40, and hourhand sleeve I4I are all adapted to extend through a dial face of a clock and into a clock works of any suitable type. The dial face and the clock works are not shown, since they are well known in the art and various suitable types may be utilized with my invention.

The operation of the device may be described as follows. Knob I48 may assume a longitudinal shape, somewhat like a pointer, or any other suitable shape, and function as a seconds indicator cooperating with suitable indices arranged on the dial face. In the event that the time in seconds indicated by said seconds-indicating knob I48 is incorrect, it may be adjusted to the correct point by rotating same with respect to the shaft I39, since there is merely a frictional contact therebetween. After said adjustment, however, the seconds-indicating knob I48 will be driven by the seconds shaft I39, since the frictional contact therewith is sufficient to maintain a driving engagement without slippage.

The seconds-indicating knob I49 serves a dual purpose, since, as hereinbefore explained, it may be manually, axially shifted against action of the coil compression spring I50 with respect to the shaft I39 for engaging the clutch teeth I54 thereon and the clutch teeth I55 on the minutehand hub I44 for adjusting the setting of the minute hand and hour hand which is customarily geared thereto.

It should be noted that while in the example shown the frontally extending means I43 passes through an aperture I55 in the clock crystal I51, this construction is optional and the frontally extending means may be positioned within the crystal and suitable means provided for removing the crystal for gaining access thereto, such as a hinged crystal mounting, or the like. It should also be noted that in the event the shaft I39 is not a seconds-indicating shaft and does not rotate, the knob I48 need not be of an indicating character and may simply provide a simple means for adjusting the minute and hour hands. It should also be noted that Various other spring means may be utilized for retaining the frontally extending means I48 on the end of the shaft I39, the example illustrated being exemplary only.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary partial vertical section similar to Fig. '1 of a modified, manual adjusting front setting means quite similar to that shown in Fig. '1. Similar elements are indicated by similar primed reference numerals.

The hour and minute hands I43 and I45 and the sleeves I4I' and I43, shaft I39 and the clutch gear teeth I55 on the minute-hand hub or the end of the minute-hand sleeve are all exactly the same as similar elements shown in Fig. '1. However, the frontally extending, manual adjusting means I48 is slightly modified from that shown in Fig. '1, the hub portion I43 thereof being centrally bored in the same manner as the hub I49 in Fig. 7 with, however, no recess and straight locking spring, such as indicated at I52 and [SI in Fig. '1, and the annular groove I41 on the shaft I39 as shown in Fig. '1 is also dispensed with in the form of my invention shown in Fig. 8. The end of the shaft I39 is provided with a portion of reduced diameter indicated at I53, a shoulder I59 being provided at the rear end of said reduced portion I59 and being adapted to abut one end of a coil compression spring I50, the other end of which rests against the inner surface of the knob I48. A screw I60 is screwed through the knob I43 and into the end of the reduced portion I58 of the shaft I39 for providing a stop for retaining the knob I48 on the shaft I39 for sliding or rotary movement with respect thereto.

The operation of the device is virtually the same as that described in connection with the apparatus disclosed in Fig. '7; that is, the knob I48 may be rotated with respect to the shaft I39 for adjusting the seconds-indicating knob I48. The knob I48 mayalso be pushed axially inwardly with respect to the shaft I39 against the action of the spring I55 for engaging the clutch gear teeth I54 on the inner end of the hub I49 and the clutch teeth I55 connected to the minute-hand hub I44 or the end of the minutehand sleeve I43 for adjusting same while in said axially shifted position. The hour hand, being geared to the minute hand as is customary, will also be adjusted.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section of a modified illustrative form of the manually adjustable, frontally extending front setting means of this invention. In this version of my invention the seconds-indicating adjusting knob I48" is provided with a sliding, resilient, rearwardly extending sleeve portion I'6I arranged to slide into and frictionally engage the inner surface of the end hole I46 in the outer end of the seconds shaft I39. The balance of the elements are similar to those shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and similar reference numerals are utilized for indicating same.

The operation of the device may be described as follows. The seconds-indicating adjusting knob I48 may be manually grasped and rotated with respect to the seconds-indicating shaft I39 since only a frictional contact exists between the exterior surface of the sliding sleeve portion IBI and the interior surface of the end hole I46. However, said frictional contact is sufficient to normally maintain a driving engagement with the seconds-indicating knob I48; Other means may be provided for adjusting the minute and hour hands.

Numerous modifications and variations of this invention will occur to those skilled in the art and are intended to be comprehended and included in the scope of this invention, the examples herein being illustrative only of the principles of my invention. For example, the version of my invention illustrated in Fig. 6 might be modified so as to have more than two axial positions of the knob ID'I whereby the pinion II may selectively engage more than two gears I I8 and I32 for providing frontally extending, manual adjusting means for .selectively adjusting either of two alarms or time-indicating hands. The engaging means for the various axial positions mentioned may comprise various types of gearing such as pinions and ordinary gears such as shown in Fig. 6, or may comprise end clutch gearing of the type shown in Fig. 5 and might be arranged whereby a completely extended position of the knob IQ'I engages one such end clutch gear and a complete pushed-in gearing position of the knob ID'I would engage other similar clutch gearing and intermediate positions of any suitable number might engage various laterally arranged spur gears in separate parallel planes. Through various combinations of thi basic idea a number of selective adjustments of various elements in a clock or other instrument may be made with one frontally extending setting means. The frontally extending means shown in Figs. 7 and 8 may be rotatably and slidably retained on the shaft by various other suitable means other than that shown herein and the frontally extending, adjustable seconds-indicating means shown in Fig. 8 may also engage the shaft in various ways whereby rotary adjustment therebetween may be effected. The type of clutch gearing such as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 may be modified within 12 wide limits. Under some circumstances it may be desirable to make it a uni-directional gearing,

The examples described and illustrated herein are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the appended claims only.

I claim:

1. In an electrically driven clock provided with a case, a clockwork mechanism Within the case, a dial face, a clock crystal, and;coaxially pivoted minute and hour hands between said face and crystal, the provision of a rotatable seconds shafts operably associated with the clockwork mechanism; rotatable minute and hour sleeves supported on said seconds shaft in journaled relation; a forward extension on said seconds shaft projecting beyond the front ends of the minute and hour sleeves and into proximity with the clock crystal; a time setting means in front of the clock crystal and having a rearwardly extending hollow tubular portion sleeved over the forward extension of the seconds shaft and normally rotatable therewith for indicating seconds and adjustable thereon for resetting seconds; said tubular portion being slidably and axially movable on said extension to position said portion adjacent to said minute sleeve; and means carried by the tubular portion of the time setting means interengageable with means carried by the minute sleeve for instantly resetting time.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the forward extension is provided with an annular groove and means are carried by the tubular portion of the time setting means for frictionally engaging the seconds shaft in said groove.

3. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein the means carried'by the time setting means includes a spring means for biasing said time setting means out of engagement with the minute sleeve.

4. In an electrically driven clock provided with a case, clockwork mechanism within the case, a dial face, a clock crystal, and coaxially pivoted minute and hour hands between said face and crystal, the provision of: a rotatable second shaft operably associated with theclockwork mechanism; rotatable minute and hour sleeves supported on said seconds shaft in journaled relation; a forward extension on said seconds shaft projecting beyond the front ends of the minute and hour sleeves and into proximity with the clock crystal; a seconds indicator means in front of the crystal and having a rearwardly extending portion cooperatively engaged with the forward extension of the seconds shaft and guided thereby; said seconds indicator means being guidably movable in an axial direction along said forward extension; and means carried by the rearwardly extending portion interen gageable with means carried by the minute sleeve whereby said minute hand may be set by rotation of said seconds indicator means.

5. In an electrically driven clock, provided with a case, a clock work mechanism within the case, a dial face, and coaxially pivoted minute and hour hands, the provision of: a-rotatable seconds shaft within said clock work mechanism; hour and minute hand sleeves journaled on the shaft; and rotatably adjustable, second-indicating, frontally extending means slidably and frictionally carried by the shaft in front of the dial face adapted to operatively engage the minute-hand sleeve in response to axial movement of said frontally extending means with respect to said shaft and to translate manual rotation of said frontally extending means in said axially shifted position 13 into rotation of said minute-hand sleeve; clutch teeth provided on the forward end of the minutehand sleeve, an annular recess in the forward end of the shaft and defined by a front and rear shoulder, said frontally extending means carried by said shaft comprising a manually actuatable knob, a rearwardly extending bored hub having a transverse recess in one wall thereof and an open rear end provided with clutch teeth adapted to selectively ngage the clutch teeth on the minutehand sleeve upon rearward axial movement of said hub, a retaining ball mounted in said transverse recess, a spring carried by said hub arranged to force the ball against the annular recess in the shaft for retaining the end thereof within the bored hub, and a coil compression spring positioned within said bored hub between the front thereof and the end of the shaft therein for normally spring biasing said hub forwardly until the retaining ball abuts the front shoulder of the annular recess whereby the clutch teeth carried by the minute-hand sleeve and the clutch teeth carried by the hub will normally be disengaged but may be selectively engaged by manually, axially, rearwardly shifting the hub with respect to the shaft.

EDGAR BOURQUIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

